FG Rolls Out ECOWAS Biometric ID Card to Enhance Regional Travel

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

The Federal Government has officially launched the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC), positioning Nigeria as a regional leader in digital identity and security. The card is expected to improve cross-border verification, strengthen intelligence gathering, curb irregular migration, and reduce cross-border crimes across West Africa.

At the Abuja launch, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the initiative reflects a major milestone in modernising Nigeria’s identity and security systems, boosted by President Bola Tinubu’s directive for accelerated delivery.

“If you are travelling only within ECOWAS, you no longer need a passport. This card is sufficient for all regional travel,” Tunji-Ojo said. He explained that ENBIC is fully interoperable with international public key infrastructure systems, ensuring secure verification while easing pressure on passport demand.

Tunji-Ojo added that the rollout complements other reforms, including the UN-mandated Advanced Passenger Information System and the upcoming Single Travel Emergency Passport expected in January.

“With ENBIC, Nigeria is not only strengthening its borders but reaffirming its leadership in a region seeking safer mobility, deeper integration, and a digitally driven future,” he said.

Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Permanent Secretary Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma noted that the card aligns with Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to regional integration. He recalled that the ENBIC technical framework was first adopted in 2014 at an ECOWAS summit in Abuja.

Akume described the card as more than a security measure.

“In our hands is a simple card, but in our hearts lies a profound hope. It is a tool of dignity for migrant women, an enabler for cross-border traders, and a promise of a West Africa where borders become bridges of opportunity rather than barriers,” he said. He urged member states to harmonise national identity systems and encouraged fintech companies to develop services that leverage the platform.

Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, highlighted the card’s advanced security features, noting that it replaces the old paper travel certificate.

“Its biometric core—anchored on high-quality facial and fingerprint data—provides a secure link between the holder and the credential. It will strengthen verification processes, reduce document fraud, and disrupt the operations of cross-border criminal networks,” she stated. Nandap added that the system is also expected to facilitate trade, tourism, labour mobility, and regional cooperation.

In a goodwill message, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, commended Nigeria for its leadership, revealing that ECOWAS forces are currently deployed in Guinea-Bissau to stabilise the situation. He described the card rollout as part of broader efforts to establish a unified West African biometric identity ecosystem.